1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for splitting a cathode ray tube, more particularly to a method and apparatus for splitting a cathode ray tube which enable for example scrap cathode ray tubes to be split by a simple apparatus easily and at low cost and thus enable reutilization of resources.
2. Description of the Related Art
A cathode ray tube is comprised of a panel portion and funnel portion bonded together by frit glass (solder glass). The panel portion is the portion on which the picture is displayed and must be more strictly controlled in composition compared with the glass making up the funnel portion. For example, the funnel portion includes lead for the purpose of improving the X-ray absorbing characteristic, but if the panel portion includes more than a predetermined amount of lead, a browning phenomenon occurs, so the content is limited.
Therefore, to promote the reutilization of reclaimed cathode ray tubes (scrap cathode ray tubes), work is required to separate the panel portion and the funnel portion.
As a method for reutilization of cathode ray tube glass in the prior art, there has been known the method of smashing the cathode ray tube glass by a hammer, washing the pieces, then manually separating the pieces of the panel portion and the pieces of the funnel portion so as to reutilize the cathode ray tube glass.
However, in this conventional method, there were the problems that a hammer was used to manually smash the cathode ray tube and manual work was used for the separation after smashing, so there was attendant danger to the workers and the work of manual separation was complicated.
Further, there has been known a method of immersing the cathode ray tube into nitric acid or another chemical to dissolve the frit glass portion of the cathode ray tube, split it into the panel portion and funnel portion, and separately reutilize the glass of the panel portion and the glass of the funnel portion.
In this method, however, there was the problem that a chemical was used, the safety control of the chemical was complicated, and large facilities such as wastewater treatment facilities and waste duct facilities were required. It is desirable to find a method for reutilization of cathode ray tube glass by a simpler apparatus or facility.